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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29836368">Name Game</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/ilandalandan/pseuds/ilandalandan'>ilandalandan</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>ENHYPEN (Band), I-LAND (Korea TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Aged-Up Character(s), Alternate Universe - Supernatural Elements, Dreams and Nightmares, Folklore, Horror, Lucid Dreaming, M/M, Suspense, Twisted Romance, Urban Legends</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-03-04</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-04</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-15 21:47:24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Major Character Death</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,873</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29836368</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/ilandalandan/pseuds/ilandalandan</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <span>He was told that no one wanted to buy the house because of its history. According to the story, the previous owner had gone missing one day, never to be seen again and leaving behind a still unsolved mystery. Sounded a lot like bullshit where Jay was concerned, until he finally moved in.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And then he started dreaming.</span>
</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Kim Sunoo/Park Sunghoon, Park Jongseong | Jay/Park Sunghoon, Park Jongseong | Jay/Yang Jungwon</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>37</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Name Game</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>
  <b>Song recommendation <a href="https://open.spotify.com/track/7bGexDKeNZT3FzvtqDFB1u?si=X3Rtc6YWTZqXpWU-P-xCAw">here</a>. Please enjoy!</b>
</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It was a simple two-storey house: dilapidated and unkempt with weeds that outlined its base all around and choked everything, even each other. Wading through the thickset of them with the highest nearly up to his knees, Jay grinned as he stopped just short of the make-shift gate that had done very little to ward off trespassers, eyeing the property with a wide smile. It was as if he was blind to the peeling paint and broken window glass, the spray-paint graffiti ominously declaring the end of days on the wall right beside the main door. </p><p>
  <b> <em>the end is </em> </b><br/>
<b> <em>much closer </em> </b><br/>
<b> <em>than you </em> </b><br/>
<b> <em>think sweet </em> </b><br/>
<b> <em>sinner</em> </b>
</p><p>Turning to the real estate agent who had reluctantly driven him over to see this very house after a very serious conversation about price over quality, he walked back out to join the balding man waiting for him by the sidewalk, nodding his head in approval. </p><p>“I’m buying it.”</p><p>The real estate agent’s eyes bulged in its sockets, his entire body straightening from its usual low-esteemed slouch where he had been leaning against his beat up car. He looked both afraid and fascinated at the declaration because they hadn’t even been there for a full ten minutes.  </p><p>“You’re not serious, are you?”</p><p>Jay shrugged and walked around the front of the car, back to the passenger seat, smile unfailing as he opened the door with one last glance at the house. It was going to take some work, but he was sure that he could make it beautiful again. Add the fact that it wasn’t going to be his money too… </p><p>“I am! It’s a bargain man; you’re selling me this gem for the price of those small city apartments we’ve been looking at the past month, those tiny ones that barely fit anything. Why the hell won’t I be serious? You have no idea how lucky I am—and the company I work for is paying for everything! <em> Hah!” </em></p><p>“But—but the stories?”</p><p>Jay huffed out a laugh, slipping his sunglasses from atop his head down his eyes to hide his rolling eyeballs. He was too old to believe in urban legends, not to mention too thrifty to let a campfire story stop him from owning a property the price of peanuts. </p><p>“Makes it even more charming. I’ll be the town’s favorite place for Halloween parties in the future, I’m sure.”</p><p>Without saying anything else, Jay slipped inside the car and closed the door, making the real estate agent flinch at the loud sound as he gave one last fleeting glance at the house he and his company had been trying to get rid of for the longest time. It had remained unsold during the entirety of his career until today, and although glad he could stop worrying about this one property no one seemed to want from this day on, he couldn’t help the spike of fear gnawing at his stomach. </p><p>It wasn’t for himself though; it was for the buyer. </p><p>“In the name of the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit…” </p><p>Murmuring absently to himself and with a hurried sign of the cross just before getting into the driver’s seat, neither he nor his client said anything else, the drive back to his office silent and maybe just a tad bit foreboding. </p><p>Two weeks later, they finalized the sale and the deed of the house was transferred under the name Park Jongseong care of some high-tech IT company’s representative. </p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p> <br/>
<br/>
</p><p>Jay didn’t move in until the house was more or less renovated: the windows fixed and all the glass replaced, inner and outer walls repainted and the yard emptied of weeds, replaced instead with grass that needed very little watering. But even with the basics covered like checking for and sealing any leaks on the roof as well as ensuring the heating and plumbing were in good working condition, there was still much to do. </p><p>He visited and helped the workers his company had hired from time to time, met a few neighbors who told him variations of the urban legend his real estate agent had originally told him and even received a piece of paper with a phone number from a pretty boy who lived down the street. There were also baked goods and an assortment of other dishes, more ghost stories, this time from the neighborhood children. </p><p>And Jay honestly liked it, made this move and this town interesting to him. It gave the entire place some character and made him quite the sensation among those who lived in the area because he was the only one brave enough to buy a house that had, apparently, witnessed a murder.  </p><p>“There are stuff in the guest bedroom. We cleaned them up and threw away anything that’s broken, but returned everything else that’s ok just in case you want to take a look and keep anything."</p><p>It was about a couple of months later that Jay finally settled, and by then the rotting carpet had been replaced by wooden floor boards that creaked under his feet. Once upon a time or so he was told, the said carpet was drenched in the blood of the still missing previous owner, but in another version, it was his internal organs mashed and scattered all over instead. The story kept changing depending on who the storyteller was, but whether it was real or not wasn’t really any of his concern. The past didn't have anything to do with the present—that and Jay didn’t think those stories had any ounce of truth in them anyway. </p><p>Arranging the furniture was the worst part, and eventually, Jay had to call his eomma who laughed the entire time they were on the phone, telling him she was getting too old to give him advice on how to best arrange his bedroom things. Stubbornly, Jay told her he was always going to need her opinion about everything no matter how independent he became.  </p><p>“So I finally have a say on who your life partner should be?”</p><p><em> Except that, </em> Jay answered resolutely to more laughter that made him smile and miss his most favorite woman in the world. <em> Anything else but that, eomma.  </em></p><p>By then, it had been another two weeks with him taking the longest when it came to setting up his work room. He had two high-end computers with a couple of monitors each, several backup drives to go along with the entire setup, and after some moving around and deciding on whether he wanted to face the window or have his back to it (he decided on the latter), he eventually finished with his “office” too. </p><p>That left the guest bedroom, the one with knick knacks from an old life that had nothing to do with his, but Jay kept putting off exploring it for later that he nearly forgot its existence. Tucked away in the furthermost end of the second floor hallway with the door always closed, it almost seemed like it wasn’t even there. </p><p>Therefore, it wasn’t going to be another week until he finally checked the room out—and not even because he wanted to.   </p><p> </p><p> </p><p><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
</p><p>The pretty boy down the street who gave Jay his number was soon invited over for dinner, and it was during his visit that Jay recalled the guest bedroom at all. Bottles of beer in hand, he had been giving Jungwon a tour that he was hoping would end in them <em> maybe </em>making out on the couch but… </p><p>“What’s in there?”</p><p>Jay turned to said bedroom and shrugged, taking a swig of beer. </p><p>“Honestly, I don’t know yet. I haven’t opened it to check the stuff the contractor left behind since I moved in. Must have been things owned by the previous owner. I keep forgetting about it.”</p><p>Jungwon’s eyes lit up at his words as he paused mid-sip of his own drink, gaze alternating from Jay to the door and then back with a growing grin. </p><p>“Really? That’s  so creepy, hyung! Let’s take a look and see what those stories are all about!”</p><p>Although aware of the urban legend surrounding the house, Yang Jungwon wasn’t a native of the area himself, just like Jay. That made him equally dubious of the stories and whether they even had a hint of reality at all. Deciding to humor him and hoping doing so was going to make things favorable for him later, Jay agreed as they set their beer bottles down on a nearby display table. </p><p>“Yeah sure, why not?”</p><p>The smell of fading paint and the dark outline of things on top of other things greeted them with the light switch refusing to work—or maybe Jay just needed to screw a bulb in. The door creaked to a close as they stepped in, blocking the soft yellow lighting of the hallway, but resourcefully using his phone, Jungwon shined the screen light around as Jay hovered close behind him. </p><p>“Oh look! Photos!”</p><p>There was a glint of silver and glass, and in the limited light, he and Jungwon approached a low table littered with picture frames lined up like books, covered in a thin layer of dust. Reaching around his guest’s waist, Jay picked one up and they looked at it together, his chin perched on Jungwon’s shoulder. </p><p>“This must be him, the owner everyone keeps talking about. He’s kinda cute.”</p><p>Jungwon traced a finger down the dusty glass, removing most of the dirt on it and making part of the faces on the photos clearer. It was one of those multiple-picture frames, and each one displayed the same man in various stages of his life. He was a gorgeous one but in a cold and unreachable way, achingly handsome like some kind of ice prince.</p><p>“You mean cuter than me, Jay-hyung?” They flipped the frame around, scribbles revealed behind, a faded name and a lopsided smiley. “And here I thought you invited me over because you thought <em> I </em>was cute.”</p><p>Jay chuckled low in his throat, setting the picture frame down as Jungwon slowly turned around to face him. It was still dark, but their eyes had adjusted to night vision by this time, so vaguely, Jay could make out the hopeful grin on the lips he’d been thinking about kissing all night. </p><p>“Nope,” he lied, stepping forward and closing the distance between them with a hand that caressed a slim waist. “I like you better than this Park Sunghoon, whoever he is.”</p><p>Jungwon’s winning smile was the best thing in the world as their lips finally met in a much coveted liplock. </p><p>“Good.”</p><p>Unknown to them, somewhere in the loneliness of a forgotten place, behind closed eyelids that had been sleeping for half a century, some consciousness flickered to life: a connection made, from one absent person to another, as Jay unknowingly disturbed the unsettled memories of the house by speaking what hadn’t been uttered in years. </p><p>If only either of them knew how there was so much power in a name.   </p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <em> Cloud white and a cold, shimmering blue; those were the colors of the cool and silken fabric against Jay’s cheek where it was rubbing against his face. It soothed his skin where he was, huddled in a near-fetal position within the gentle, icy arms of someone unknown. Instead of bothering him though, the arms were much too welcoming to be anything but comfortable.  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “You woke me up, you know. I was sleeping.” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Sighing and shifting within the embrace he was trapped in, Jay lifted his head slowly, smiling up at the beautiful creature holding him in its arms. It was the same man in that picture frame but, unlike how plain he was in the photos, this time his hair was adorned in jewel-like dew drops that felt somewhere between rain and snow, his dark hair stark against a pale face and those flashy gems.  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> What was his name again?  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “It’s Sunghoon. How about you? What’s your name?” </em>
</p><p>Never give it your name, <em> Jay remembered just then. It was one of the reminders from the many stories he’d heard, or one of its variations at least. This time, it was shared by an old man he’d sat with on the bus on the way home from the market, around the time he’d just moved in if he recalled correctly. </em>No matter how many times it asks, don’t give it power over you by giving it your name.</p><p>
  <em> What a strange thing to remember at the moment, and during a dream! Because that was what this was, right? Just a dream. A strange one that had Jay feeling as though he was floating pleasantly in a lonely void.  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “It’s a dream yes, but also not quite. So there’s no harm in giving me your name, right?” </em>
</p><p>
  <strong> <em>never give it</em> </strong><br/>
<strong> <em>don't give it power</em> </strong><br/>
<strong> <em>over you</em> </strong><br/>
<strong> <em>the end is </em> </strong><br/>
<strong> <em>so close</em> </strong><br/>
<strong> <em>sweet sinner</em> </strong><br/>
<strong> <em>no matter how</em> </strong><br/>
<strong> <em>no matter what</em> </strong><br/>
<strong> <em>the end is </em> </strong><br/>
<strong> <em>close</em> </strong>
</p><p>
  <em> The beautiful creature smiling above him snarled just then, mouth opening to reveal sharp canines as clawed fingers dug at Jay’s shoulders to yank him close.   </em>
</p><p>“I said give me your name!”  </p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p> <br/>
<br/>
</p><p>Jay woke up with a start, sitting up from bed abruptly and with a sharp gasp of air. His bedroom was dark, only a gap from the curtains letting the barest of moonlight in. Beside him, Jungwon stirred and turned slightly to reach out with a hand. </p><p>“Hey hyung, it’s just a dream. Sshhh.”</p><p>Just a dream… <em> of course. </em> A short huff of laughter escaped Jay’s lips as he shook his head to himself, lying back down and pulling Jungwon in his arms. The younger man had fallen asleep almost immediately, and as he closed his eyes with the dream already fading away, Jay eventually drifted off as easily too.  </p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p> <br/>
<br/>
</p><p>But from that very first time, the dreams didn’t stop. </p><p>At first, Jay thought clearing the guest room was going to do the same to his mind especially during the evenings, but his dreams became more lucid as the days progressed. He refused to keep anything from the room, disposed of everything that was too big to burn. </p><p>But maybe he shouldn’t have kept one thing out of the loot, not that he’d meant to. </p><p>Jay had found it wedged on the side of a drawer, causing the drawer itself not to close or open so that it was eternally stuck halfway through. He’d yanked and pulled, eventually flying backwards after a particularly hard yank, as the thing finally gave way. Despite the loud sounds, there was a distinct clink of something delicate falling on the soft, carpeted floor. </p><p>It was a silver necklace with an icicle pendant. </p><p>Jay hadn’t planned to keep it at all, but putting it in his jeans pocket made him forget it was there as he sorted larger items in the room. It remained in that same pocket even as the pants itself were washed, and he wasn’t going to find it until much, much later. </p><p>And so, the dreams continued. </p><p> </p><p><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <em> It was a pomegranate, fresh and sweet looking. It made Jay’s mouth water and he wanted to accept it, but a conversation with his eomma came back to him when he began sharing his recurring dreams with her.  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “But it’s just a fruit.” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> It was the same beautiful creature, the same old Sunghoon, his smile timidly sweet and eyes honest as he held out the fruit to him with open palms.  </em>
</p><p>“Don’t accept anything you’re offered,” <em>his eomma had said, growing uncharacteristically serious during their conversation over the phone. This tone was rare, used only when dealing with matters of the more sensitive nature. </em>“Don’t eat anything, not even one bite. Do you understand?”</p><p>
  <em> Steadily getting freaked out, Jay had assured his eomma that he wouldn’t, but what a tempting thing to do as he watched Sunghoon shrug and keep the pomegranate for himself, breaking the fruit in two and gathering a handful of seeds that he popped into his mouth.  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “It’s really good. I hate that you’re missing out. Should we share?” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Distractedly, Jay shook his head, but Sunghoon was forgiving, smiling gently at him and reaching with a hand to give the top of his head a pat.  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “That’s all right. Won’t you give me your name instead then?” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Jay liked the pets, pushed his head against the soothing touch as it became fingers that sifted through his hair. And at that instant, he couldn’t help but think: what was wrong with giving Sunghoon his name? He didn’t understand the warnings, recalling that even his eomma had mentioned not giving his name away as well and on top of the advice about the food. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> He really should just get this over and done with.  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “My name is—” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> But just then, a new voice joined in, and Jay felt the collar of what he was wearing yanked back with inhuman force.  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “I don’t think so!” </em>
</p><p><em> “Sunoo-yah, </em>don’t—!”</p><p><em> Jay felt claws cut at his nape in the process, and he tried to reach for Sunghoon again but in vain. </em>  </p><p> </p><p><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
</p><p>Jay woke up abruptly as he had been doing so for three weeks straight, to be met by the sight of the living room ceiling. He had fallen asleep on the sofa, the TV still on as he’d left it, but the news he’d been watching after dinner was long finished, replaced instead by some kind of soap opera. </p><p>Pushing himself up and rubbing sleep from his eyes, for the first time since he moved in, Jay began feeling the slightest bit afraid when he scratched at the back of his neck absently—</p><p>Only to find blood on his fingers.  </p><p> </p><p><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
</p><p>“Don't be silly hyung, you’re just thinking too much!”</p><p>Another day with Jungwon, but this time, Jay had dared to tell him about the dreams just as they were finishing lunch. Telling his eomma had only worried her, but his neighbor was the exact opposite, not even concerned as he waved a hand dismissively and with a sip of his fruit juice. </p><p>Coincidentally, it was pomegranate-flavored, and it was Jungwon himself who’d brought it with him. </p><p>“You’re becoming just like the townsfolk. Cut it out!”</p><p>There was no sweet nothings and making out after their meal, and Jay excused himself saying he had work-related things to finish. Jungwon left him soon enough, obviously disappointed but weirded-out too,  though he was polite enough not to say anything. </p><p>His guest would have said something and more though, if he’d seen what Jay saw peeking out from the shadowed part of the stairway balustrades: a pair of watchful eyes glaring Jungwon’s way so fiercely that Jay hadn’t any doubt it could kill him by staring alone. </p><p>He dreamed again that night, of course he did, and it was the first time Sunghoon didn’t look as pleased to see him.  </p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p> </p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <em> “Don’t see him again, that boy.” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “Who?” Jay asked, a little confused before he realized who they were talking about. “Oh, you mean Jungwon?” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> A cruel smile made Sunghoon’s lips twist in an ugly manner, and Jay wasn’t going to realize until much later that he’d unconsciously given Jungwon’s name away.  </em>
</p><p><em> “Oh, is that what he’s called?” </em> </p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p> <br/>
<br/>
</p><p>The next day, there was an ambulance parked at the end of the street just as Jay was returning home from a grocery run. Concerned, he jogged towards the area to join the crowd that had gathered. But wait a minute, this was… </p><p>“Jungwonie?!”</p><p>His armful of groceries hit the ground as he pushed his way through their neighbors upon realizing that the house the ambulance was parked in front of was the one owned by the boy he’d been dating exclusively for a month now. </p><p>
  <em> “Jungwonie!” </em>
</p><p>One of the paramedics stopped him as a body covered in a sheet was wheeled out of the house, the old and kind-looking man restraining Jay shaking his head at him regretfully. </p><p>“I’m sorry sir… he’s gone.”</p><p>And when Jay dreamed of Sunghoon again that night, he finally asked the inevitable question, to which he was greeted by the sweetest smile, Sunghoon’s arms opening to beckon him forward and within his embrace. </p><p>
  <em> “What do you want from me?!” </em>
</p><p><em> “You, just you. Now will you tell me your name?” </em> </p><p> </p><p><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
</p><p>When Jay woke up after his most recent dream, he tried his hardest not to fall asleep but only succeeded for two nights and three days. He worked, had coffee, drank energy drinks, refrained himself from getting too tired physically. In the middle of struggling to remain awake, at around 7:49 am on the third day, he closed his eyes only for a few seconds while waiting for his coffee to finish brewing. </p><p>Just a few seconds…</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> He was pretty sure he was dreaming. He was walking around the house but the colors were all wrong—more sepia than anything else, with the corners of every room seemingly darker than usual as if hiding something, or someone. Jay found himself heading towards the laundry room where he rummaged, rummaged... found one of his many pairs of jeans. Plundering its pockets, his dream self made a triumphant sound as his fingers met something irregularly shaped.  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> The icicle necklace.  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> The doorbell rang just then. Abandoning the jeans and absently slipping the necklace on, Jay found himself rushing to the front door, which he opened to find the postman standing there, all smirks with a package in hand and a greeting of good morning.  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “Mail? Who’s it from?” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “Your name first, sir?” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> It came out naturally, brought about by the normalcy of the situation. When he realized he’d finally revealed it, it was too late to take it back. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “It’s Jay. My name’s Park Jay.” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> The postman’s smirk widened as he pushed the visor of his cap upward to reveal a familiar face.  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “It’s nice to finally meet you, Jay.” </em>
</p><p> </p><p>With a jolt, Jay woke up on the same spot in his kitchen. His coffee was done, its aroma wafting through the room, but the pleasant smell of caffeine couldn’t ease the fear that gripped his entire body as he felt a prickling sensation against his chest just right underneath his shirt. Reaching in and pulling out something silver that hadn’t been there before with trembling fingers, Jay’s entire world felt like crashing down all around him.</p><p>It was the necklace. Just like in the dream, he was wearing the necklace. </p><p>And try as he might, sleep finally won over despite his best attempts of forcing himself awake, and it wasn’t until nine days later that Jay’s lifeless body was going to be found in bed, almost sleeping but not quite. </p><p>He was dead. </p><p>It wasn’t suicide, police would reveal later on. There wasn’t a trace of foul play either, not even a break-in since all the doors and windows were intact. The coroner ruled out sickness or disease too. Jay was perfectly healthy, and there was no reason for him to die all of a sudden. </p><p>“It’s the house,” the townsfolk murmured at each other with shakes of their heads. “He shouldn’t have moved in, shouldn’t have bought the house.”</p><p><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
</p><p>Somewhere in a forgotten place, eating pomegranate seeds out of Sunghoon’s hand, was one Park Jay: a forced companion, a beloved pet, forevermore. </p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>
  <b>Do you have similar urban legends or stories of lore like this one? I'd love to read your country's version. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this little fic and as usual, thank you for being here.</b>
</p></blockquote></div></div>
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